990 research outputs found
A flowing plasma model to describe drift waves in a cylindrical helicon discharge
A two-fluid model developed originally to describe wave oscillations in the
vacuum arc centrifuge, a cylindrical, rapidly rotating, low temperature and
confined plasma column, is applied to interpret plasma oscillations in a RF
generated linear magnetised plasma (WOMBAT), with similar density and field
strength. Compared to typical centrifuge plasmas, WOMBAT plasmas have slower
normalised rotation frequency, lower temperature and lower axial velocity.
Despite these differences, the two-fluid model provides a consistent
description of the WOMBAT plasma configuration and yields qualitative agreement
between measured and predicted wave oscillation frequencies with axial field
strength. In addition, the radial profile of the density perturbation predicted
by this model is consistent with the data. Parameter scans show that the
dispersion curve is sensitive to the axial field strength and the electron
temperature, and the dependence of oscillation frequency with electron
temperature matches the experiment. These results consolidate earlier claims
that the density and floating potential oscillations are a resistive drift
mode, driven by the density gradient. To our knowledge, this is the first
detailed physics model of flowing plasmas in the diffusion region away from the
RF source. Possible extensions to the model, including temperature
non-uniformity and magnetic field oscillations, are also discussed
Florence Valley : An Abandoned Stream Valley, Florence Township, Erie County, Ohio
Author Institution: U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, Sandusky, OhioAn abandoned stream valley, here called Florence Valley, was found in eastern Erie County, Ohio. Florence Valley is about one mile long and connects the valleys of Chappel Creek and the Vermilion River. There is evidence that Florence Valley was formed as a result of the capture of a tributary of the Vermilion River by Chappel Creek. Chappel Creek, at the junction of Florence Valley and the valley of Chappel Creek, has a rightangled bend, which displays morphology characteristic of an "elbow-of-capture." The gradient of the eastern two-thirds of Florence Valley slopes toward the Vermilion River. Because the Vermilion River is more deeply entrenched than is Chappel Creek, this stream capture must have taken place at a time when the base level was at a higher elevation, when Chappel Creek had a shorter course and steeper gradient than did the Vermilion River. These conditions are believed to have existed during the time of Lake Maumee III
Global Alfven Eigenmodes in the H-1 heliac
Recent upgrades in H-1 power supplies have enabled the operation of the H-1
experiment at higher heating powers than previously attainable. A heating power
scan in mixed hydrogen/helium plasmas reveals a change in mode activity with
increasing heating power. At low power (<50 kW) modes with beta-induced Alfven
eigenmode (BAE) frequency scaling are observed. At higher power modes
consistent with an analysis of nonconventional Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAEs)
are observed, the subject of this work. We have computed the mode continuum,
and identified GAE structures using the ideal MHD solver CKA and the
gyrokinetic code EUTERPE. An analytic model for ICRH-heated minority ions is
used to estimate the fast ion temperature from the hydrogen species. Linear
growth rate scans using a local flux surface stability calculation, LGRO, are
performed. These studies demonstrate growth from circulating particles whose
speed is significantly less than the Alfven speed, and are resonant with the
mode through harmonics of the Fourier decomposition of the strongly-shaped
heliac magnetic field. They reveal drive is possible with a small, hot
energetic tail of the hydrogen species. Local linear growth rate scans are also
complemented with global calculations from CKA and EUTERPE. These qualitatively
confirm the findings from the LGRO study, and show that the inclusion of finite
Larmor radius effects can reduce the growth rate by a factor of three, but do
not affect marginal stability. Finally, a study of damping of the global mode
with the thermal plasma is conducted, computing continuum, and the damping
arising from parallel electric fields. We find that continuum damping is of
order 0.1% for the configuration studied. The inclusion of resistivity lifts
the damping to 19%. Such large damping is consistent with experimental
observations that in absence of drive the mode decays rapidly (~0.1 ms).Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, submitted 07/04/2017 to Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusio
Dinoflagellate blooms and physical systems in the Gulf of Maine
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution May 1990Numerous studies have shown dinoflagellate blooms to be
closely related to density discontinuities and fronts in the ocean. The
spatial and temporal patterns of the dinoflagellate population
depend on the predominant mode of physical forcing, and its scales
of variability. The present study combined field sampling of
hydrographic and biological variables to examine the relationship of
dinoflagellate population distributions to physical factors along the
southwestern cost of the Gulf of Maine.
A bloom of Ceratium longipes occurred along this coast during
the month of June, 1987. A simple model which coupled along-isopycnal
diffusion with the logistic growth equation suggested that
the cells had a growth rate of about 0.1 d-1 , and had reached a
steady horizontal across-shelf distribution within about 10 d.
Fur~her variations in population density appeared to be related to
fluctuations of light with periods of -10 d. To our knowledge, this
was the first use of this simple diffusion model as a diagnostic tool
for quantifying parameters describing the growth and movement of
a specific phytoplankton population.
Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense
have been nearly annual features along the coasts of southern
Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts since 1972; however the
mechanisms controlling the distribution of cells and concomitant
shellfish toxicity are relatively poorly understood. Analysis of field
data gathered from April to September, 1987-1989, showed that in
two years when toxicity was detected in the southern part of this
region, A. tamarense cells were apparently transported into the
study area between Portsmouth and Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in a
coastally trapped buoyant plume. This plume appears to have been
formed off Maine by the outflow from the Androscoggin and Kennebec Rivers. Flow rates of these rivers, hydrographic sections,
and satellite images suggest that the plume had a duration of about
a month, and extended alongshore for several hundred kilometers.
The distribution of cells followed the position of the plume as it was
influenced by wind and topography. Thus when winds were
downwelling-favourable, cells were moved alongshore to the south,
and were held to the coast; when winds were upwelling-favourable,
the plume sometimes separated from the coast, advecting the cells
offshore.
The alongshore advection of toxic cells within a coastally
trapped buoyant plume can explain the temporal and spatial
patterns of shellfish toxicity along the coast. The general observation
of a north-to-south temporal trend of toxicity is consistent with the
southward advection of the plume. In 1987 when no plume was
present, Alexandrium tamarense cells were scarce, and no toxicity
was recorded at the southern stations. A hypothesis was formulated
explaining the development and spread of toxic dinoflagellate
blooms in this region. This plume-advection hypothesis included:
source A. tamarense populations in the north, possibly associated
with the Androscoggin and Kennebec estuaries; a relationship
between toxicity patterns and river flow volume and timing of flow
peaks; and a relationship between wind stresses and the distribution
of low salinity water and cells. Predictions of the plume-advection hypothesis were tested
with historical records of shellfish toxicity, wind speed and direction,
and river flow. The predictions tested included the north-south
progression of toxic outbreaks, the occurrence of a peak in river flow
prior to the PSP events, the relationship of transit time of PSP
toxicity along the coast with river flow volume, and the influence of
surface wind stress on the timing and location of shellfish toxicity.
All the predictions tested were supported by the historical records.
In addition it was found that the plume-advection hypothesis
explains many details of the timing and spread of shellfish toxicity,
including the sporadic nature of toxic outbreaks south of
Massachusetts Bay, and the apparently rare occurrence of toxicity
well offshore on Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank.This research was supported by
ONR contract N00014-87-K-0007 and ONR grant N00014-89-J-111
to Donald M. Anderson, and NOAA Office of Sea Grant contract
NA86AA-D-SG090
A Unit on the Agriculture Economy in Mexico for use in an Eighth Grade History Course to Facilitate the Teaching of Economic Concepts
This study was made to aid in teaching economic concepts in an eighth grade history unit on Mexico. The economic problems in Mexico, especially in the area of agriculture, are compared to similar problems in the United States to show that, though the problems in Mexico may be similar to problems that have developed in the United States, there are factors that make it necessary to use a much different approach in solving them
Quantitative optical determination of the shape of Cu nanocrystals in a composite film
5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table.We demonstrate that optical extinction spectroscopy can be used to determine the effective shape of Cu nanocrystals (NCs) embedded in a transparent amorphous Al2O3 host both produced by pulsed laser deposition. The axial ratio of the NCs was extracted from the positions of the surface plasmon modes of the optical extinction spectra of the nanocomposite film. Comparison to the results obtained by grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering shows excellent agreement. Thus, optical spectroscopy can be used as a simple, easily accessible, and versatile tool for the characterization of the NCs that form nanocomposite films.This work was supported by the European Union
(BRITE Project No. 98-0616).Peer reviewe
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